My husband is a 120% alcoholic, he's been trying to quit himself, but sounds like there's no way he can make it. People tell us he can try to go to the AA CLASS, we want to know is that gonna really help?
2007-02-17 10:55:17 · 12 answers · asked by bing c 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
First of all, he has to WANT to quit drinking. No medication, program, or meeting will help him unless he wants it to.
That being said, as a wife of an alcoholic and a daughter of an alcoholic, I can say that AA does work. Working the 12 steps even when you aren't an alcoholic helps you gain a better grasp of what is going on in your life, how you deal with it correctly or incorrectly, and what you need to focus on. Go to a few meetings with him - even non-alcoholics can get information and relief from going.
You need to help yourself too. Go to an Al-Anon meeting. Many wives of alcoholics tend to enable their alcoholic without meaning to. I was a daughter of an alcoholic, and had been through programs, and didn't realize I was enabling my husband by throwing away the booze, helping him pay court fines, and letting him use my car when his broke down due to driving drunk. Sure, from the outside it seems like a no-brainer: but when you are in these shoes, it's not so easy to detect.
One book that helped me IMMENSELY was "Getting Them Sober: You Can Help! (Getting Them Sober)" by Toby Rice Drews. I initially picked it up with the thought of "yeah, RIGHT.... this isn't going to work any better than how I've been doing it".... but it doesn't get THEM sober... it gets YOU sober, and helps you learn how to cope.
Best of luck to you and your husband!!!
2007-02-17 11:09:22 · answer #1 · answered by hazygirl_rvt 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am a recovering alcoholic who can tell you first hand that AA works. However, it can only help if he is ready to quit...if he isn't, there is no force on earth can make him quit. Most alcoholics have to hit rock bottom before they are ready, I know I did. But once I hit my bottom quitting for me was a no brainer, but even then I don't know if I could have done it without AA. AA doesn't teach you how not to drink, but rather how to live life sober, something that alcoholics don't know how to do. AA is free, anonymous and the friendliest place you could ever go, and if he is alcoholic, he has nothing to loose by trying it. Remember that alcoholism is a bonafide disease just like cancer,or diabetes...it doesn't get better as it is a progressive disease, oh and yes...it is terminal if left untreated.
2007-02-17 19:09:39 · answer #2 · answered by newph1956 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If he really wants to quit and could do it alone, he would have. So either he doesn't really want to, or needs help. If his intake is so toxic that he'll go into fits through quitting cold-turkey, he may first need a rehab/detox. He should see a doctor. If he's alcoholic he'll certainly need to seek help to both get and stay sober, beyond a simple detox. He's certainly welcome at any AA meeting, although AA is really about staying stopped.
2007-02-20 17:06:36 · answer #3 · answered by Ian S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have you tried Al-Anon? It's a support program for friends and family of alcoholics. For the people that have been affected from someone else's drinking. You can kick him to an AA meeting, but there's not much you can do to make him stop drinking unless he wants to stop. If you covering up for him in any way ( by calling in sick for him etc.) stop doing that so that he can experience the full consequences of his drinking. It's the consequences that will get him to stop.
2007-02-18 17:58:07 · answer #4 · answered by looca 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
George Vaillant, Harvard professor, researcher, and member of AA's Board of Trustees set out to prove that AA worked. What he found out was AA made no difference, 5% quit with AA, 5% quit without AA or any treatment. He also found that the MORTALITY rate of those in their first year of AA was six times higher that those who attempted quitting on their own. Vaillant said, "Not only had we failed to alter the natural history of alcoholism, but our death rate of three percent a year was appalling."
Another study, the Brandsma study, showed that people who were exposed to AA were FIVE TIMES as likely to end up binge drinking as those who attempt quitting on their own.
People quit drinking on the own every day. Even the ones in AA really do it on their own, but the program steals the credit.
2007-02-18 02:34:31 · answer #5 · answered by raysny 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He may need to be medically monitored. I saw on a medical show where an alcoholic died as a result of quitting cold turkey. I would see about getting him into a rehab so he can do it safely. After rehab he should start AA, as alcoholism is a disease and he'll need support not to relapse.
2007-02-17 19:04:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It will be easier with AA. I had a friend that was way way alcoholic and he went to AA and it helped him alot. Do exactly what they tell you, follow their program, and WANT TO QUIT. You can do it.
2007-02-17 19:04:25 · answer #7 · answered by Karen 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
AA is so succesful because it works. You should know that alcoholism is a disease that is mostly will power, but you should be there for him also. Good Luck.
2007-02-17 18:58:48 · answer #8 · answered by cordero7245 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I have seen it work for a lot of people. Plus, doctors have some medications that will help.
2007-02-17 18:57:06 · answer #9 · answered by Tiffany 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes it helps he may cannot do it alone he need to be watched because he can die from dts
2007-02-17 18:58:40 · answer #10 · answered by annjilena 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋